First Nations Voice

PAGE 12 • SEPTEMBER 2013 Boosting Youth Literacy, Activity with Start2Finish Assistant Commissioner Kevin Brosseau Commanding Officer RCMP "D" Division: Communities we serve across Manitoba often cite youth as a priority – and it's one of the RCMP's priorities, too. Preventing youth from becoming victims of crime and from getting involved in crime is important for us all. Keeping kids busy and building their selfconfidence is key to preventing and reducing crime. With that in mind, and with the assistance of the local principal and teachers, Little Grand Rapids RCMP organized a special youth initiative last year. Youth in Little Grand Rapids have been participating in a free after-school program called Start2Finish, which provides local youngsters with a regularly scheduled healthy and fun activity. The program boosts literacy, physical activity and self-confidence. This innovative after-school program for elementary school children runs two hours per week throughout the school year. Start2Finish uses simple, fun exercise and adventure that allows children to literally run across the community over the school year. Physical activity is balanced with a reading and writing component that also helps build selfesteem. The overall goal of the program is to develop athletic and reading skills of the children, while having fun. Twenty-eight kids participated in the Little Grand Rapids Start2Finish program, which involved a number of activities including relay races, active games, circuit training to promote strength and fitness, individual and team challenges, as well as group and individual reading activities. Energized with healthy snacks provided weekly by the Northern Store, the children are challenged to reach certain goals and earn prizes. Each participant is rewarded for their efforts and hard work throughout the program with prizes that are donated by the Start2Finish organization. From the athletic standpoint, the goal of Start2Finish is for the participants to be physically capable of completing a five-kilometre run from the school to the RCMP detachment where, at the end of the school year, a barbecue is then held for all participants. All members of the Little Grand Rapids RCMP participate alongside with the children throughout the program to provide guidance and support. The program also gives the children an opportunity to talk to RCMP members in a relaxed environment, about life as well as the everyday challenges they face. Feedback from the community has been very positive, with parents, Chief and Council commenting on the kids' energy and excitement about not only the program but also their achievements. Kids are already looking forward to next year's program. Family Continues To Search For Beloved Daughter, Mother Chantelle Alice Rose Bushie is described by her mother as a very funny girl who often brought lots of laughter to all those around her. She also had a knack for drawing and enjoyed sketching beautiful pictures in her free time. Chantelle's sense of humour and artistic abilities are just a few things that her mother greatly misses about her daughter since Chantelle went missing nearly six years ago. Another person who greatly misses Chantelle is her daughter, who has grown into a beautiful girl who recently completed kindergarten — a milestone that Chantelle would surely have loved to have seen. Chantelle was last seen in mid-December of 2007 in Grand Prairie, Alberta. She was 16 years of age at the time. Her family continues to search for answers, wanting so dearly for the woman, who played both the role of loving daughter and mother, to come home. "Five years is a long time for a mother to be searching for her daughter, and a daughter to be missing her mother," says Christy Dzikowicz, Director of MissingKids.ca. "We believe that someone out there has information with regard to Chantelle's disappearance which could provide answers to her family. It is so very important for anyone with information about this case to come forward because often the smallest detail provided can give rise to the most important lead in an investigation." Chantelle's family finds that one of the biggest challenges, as each day draws to a close, is living without answers as to where their beloved girl might be, closure always being just out of their grasp. "The Grande Prairie RCMP continue to investigate Chantelle's disappearance," says Cst. Meghan Bell, Grande Prairie RCMP. "We believe that someone has information about her disappearance and are asking anyone with information to contact us, or contact MissingKids.ca should they wish to report in confidence." Chantelle is described as 5'5" in height, has brown eyes and a tattoo of "V T" on her left hand. She weighed around 120 pounds and had brown hair when she went missing. Anyone with information about Chantelle Bushie's disappearance is urged to contact MissingKids. ca at 1-866-KID-TIPS (1-866-543-8477) or the Grande Prairie RCMP at 1-780-830-5701. Prime Minister Stephen Harper invests in skills training; supports local resource jobs in the northwest territories Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced support for a new mining sector-skills training program in the Northwest Territories and in the Kitikmeot region of Nunavut, which will help Aboriginal participants acquire the skills they need to fill local jobs in the rapidly expanding mining industry. The Prime Minister was accompanied by Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of the Environment, Minister of the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency (CanNor) and Minister for the Arctic Council, Joe Oliver, Minister of Natural Resources, Bernard Valcourt, Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development, Bob McLeod, Premier of the Northwest Territories, Senator Dennis Patterson and Ryan Leef, Member of Parliament for Yukon. "The North's rapidly growing extractive industry is driving prosperity and creating demand for local skilled workers," said Prime Minister Harper. "The support being provided today will help Aboriginal participants in the North gain the training they need to access the jobs and prosperity being generated by the industry's growth." The support announced today through Employment and Social Development Canada's Skills and Partnership Fund (SPF) will be used to develop and implement a 25-month program, which will train 400 Aboriginal participants in essential mining sector-skills. The training is currently underway and is being delivered by the Northwest Territories Mine Training Society in 11 communities and on three mine sites across the Territories and the Kitikmeot region of Nunavut, including Hay River.  Following the training, six local employer partners, including three area mines, will place graduates into jobs. The Northwest Territories Mine Training Society is a unique partnership between Aboriginal governments, public government and the mining industry. For more than a decade, its mission has been to support Aboriginal people and Northerners in finding long-term employment in the mining industry. 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